Alphard
Also known as α Hya · HR 3748
Alphard is a star in the constellation Hydra, about 180 light-years from Earth.
Facts
| Type | Star (spectral type K3IIIa) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Hydra |
| Position (J2000) | 9h 27m 35s, −8° 39′ |
| Distance | 180 light-years (its light set off about 180 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 1.97 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Studied in | 455 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Alphard is highest in the sky at midnight in February. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 61° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 31°. To see it you need the naked eye, even from a town.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Hydra
- Ashlesha
- Ghost of Jupiter
- GJ 357
- GJ 433
- M48 (NGC 2548)
- M68 (NGC 4590)
- Southern Pinwheel Galaxy (M83)
- Spiderweb Galaxy
Everything in Hydra · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · Data sources & credits